Women constantly battle to stay slim

A poll of 2,000 British men and women has found that the average 45-year-old woman has tried out 61 diets.

The survey, which was carried out by the bread maker Warburtons, found 75% of British women had gone on a diet in the last year.

The poll also found that 60% of the respondents reported that their children had asked them not to buy bread or potatoes in the belief that these were unhealthy foods.

Half the respondents said they had stopped giving their children these foods.

People aged under 26 were found to have the least amount of knowledge about the importance of calcium in their diets.

Around half the respondents were unaware the calcium was present in white bread and over 85% did not know that calcium was an important part of their diets.

Dr Hilary Jones said: "An average of 61 diets over an adult lifetime could mean an awful lot of people have cut a significant amount of calcium out of their diet over the years especially if they’ve been avoiding calcium-rich food groups on a regular basis."

"It seems the British obsession with dieting could be having a detrimental effect on our nutritional intake, as many people lose sight of what constitutes a healthy balanced diet."

"All breads contribute a range of essential nutrients from protein and calcium to iron and B group vitamins."